Bradford City Centre BD1 Property & Area Guide

The city of Bradford in West Yorkshire who’s motto is “Progress-Industry-Humanity,” which is fitting for this diverse metropolis that can boast about thriving in different industries, while remaining as a charming and comforting home for its many residents.

Bradford it is known as a hub for the manufacturing industry, with a significant percentage of the city’s residents employed by the many companies that belong to that field. It is also a forward-facing town in terms of technology. Businesses rooted in technology that are located in the city are on the rise and are primed to challenge the ones in the manufacturing industry for the top perch.

Beyond the industries, Bradford’s identity is also wrapped up in culture and the arts with its model village that doubles as a world heritage site. The city itself possesses a unique and privileged distinction as being the first City of Film recognised by UNESCO.

Bradford can most certainly be considered among the top cities of West Yorkshire, but that description does not do it enough justice.

As its motto hints at, Bradford is a city with humanity, thriving industries, and the potential to make tremendous progress in the near future.

Bradford’s Main Industries

Two industries dominate the business landscape of Bradford.

Leading the way is the manufacturing industry. Bradford is home to well over 1,200 manufacturing businesses, according to the city’s official website.

Those over 1,200 businesses are responsible for providing employment to over 25,000 people, and those are not just residents of Bradford, but of West Yorkshire as a whole.

Furthermore, the number of manufacturing jobs housed within Bradford is 4th highest among all of the different cities in the United Kingdom, with only London, Birmingham, and Leeds boasting more.

Hot on the heels of Bradford’s manufacturing sector is the rapidly growing digital industry that has also established roots in the city.

More than 710 businesses involved in the digital sector are currently operating inside Bradford, and they collectively provide employment to over 4,600 people. Serving to further boost the growing digital sector in the city are the innovation initiatives such as the Advanced Digital Institute, the Digital Catapult Centre Yorkshire, and the Digital Exchange.

While the manufacturing and digital sectors are currently dominating Bradford’s business scene, there are other ways to make a living within the city without having to be involved in either industry.

In excess of 35,000 people in Bradford are self-employed in some capacity. To further drive home just how conducive to business Bradford is, it is worth noting that the city is home to more than 17,000 businesses that collectively employ nearly 200,000 people. The city also has the 8th largest economy in England as it is currently valued at £9.5bn.

Many of the businesses located in Bradford are also heavily involved in international trading. Bradford currently has the highest international trading rate among all the cities in the UK.

Education in Bradford

Bradford College and the University of Bradford are among the more famous educational institutions in the city. Other schools in the city that are known for providing good education include Bradford Grammar School and Bradford Girls Grammar School.

If you are a parent and want to know if there are schools in the area that can cater to your child, as per Schools Web Directory, there are; 166 primary schools, 50 secondary schools, eight nurseries, and 15 special schools are all found within the city.

To make searching for a specific school or one near you easier, the Bradford education website provides a great resource.

Bradford: The World’s First UNESCO City of Film

Industries alone do not define the city of Bradford.

Bradford is known as the first UNESCO City of Film. What it means is that Bradford is regarded as a “world centre for film,” and that is due in large part to the city’s remarkable film heritage. The city has a love affair with film as evidenced by the numerous festivals hosted within Bradford. There are other events on the city’s yearly calendar that are focused on celebrating that popular medium of entertainment.

Bradford is full of locations that previously served as backdrops for movie scenes. Don’t be surprised as well if you find film crews shooting in the city while you are there as Bradford has proven to be a popular shooting location for many filmmakers all over the world.

The entirety of Bradford is known as a UNESCO City of Film, but there is one particular area in the city that has been designated by the organisation as a World Heritage Site, and that place is known as Saltaire Village.

Plans for the construction of Saltaire Village began way back in 1851. Textile industry heavyweight Sir Titus Salt was the one who came up with the idea of creating a village that would serve as the home for his employees. He wanted his employees to be happier and healthier so that they could become more productive, and the idea he had for achieving that was to move them to a place that was free from the pollution that had begun to envelop their town.

In pursuit of realising that goal, Salt decided to partner with architects Henry Lockwood and Richard Mawson. Lockwood and Mawson were then the ones to come up with the idea that eventually became what is known now as Saltaire Village.

There are several things worth noting about the village, and first and foremost among them is the idea behind the village’s design. The two architects wanted to draw inspiration from the past to create the village, and they settled on the idea of using Italian Renaissance-era design concepts for Saltaire.

Needless to say, Lockwood and Mawson’s decision to go in that direction paid off, and it resulted in the creation of several beautiful structures around the village.

Salts Mill is one of the beautiful examples of architecture located within the village. Housed within Salts Mills today are different galleries. There is one that contains paintings of Saltaire as well as works of art that detail the process of working with textile.

What separates Saltaire Village from so many other historical sites is that it has managed to remain largely intact throughout several decades. That the village managed to remain in such good condition for so long is a big part of the reason for why UNESCO deemed it a World Heritage Site. Also factoring into that decision is the fact that Saltaire Village continues to be a model for town planning even to this day.

Attractions in Bradford

Saltaire Village is far from being the only interesting tourist destination within the city of Bradford, especially for those with a love for history and the arts.

The National Science and Media Museum features exhibits that prominently feature light and sound technologies. Visitors will be able to learn more about how those forms of technology have progressed through the years. They may even get an idea of how the aforementioned technologies will develop further in the years ahead.

The Bradford Police Museum offers something different. Here, guests can dive into the history of law enforcement and see the different uniforms worn by members of the police. One quirky attraction within the museum is the police cell that illusionist Harry Houdini escaped from back in the day.

Also of note is the Bradford Industrial Museum that is home to a wide array of machines that were largely in use back during the industrial revolution.

It is also worth taking the time out to drop by The Peace Museum that pays tribute to the people who chose to promote peace and advance causes using non-violent means. It is something completely different from the many museums that house weapons used in the wars of yesteryear.

Different art galleries in the city, including Cartwright Hall and The Impressions Gallery. Works of art created by British artists from the 19th and 20th centuries are in abundance within Cartwright Hall, along with fine examples of South Asian creations. The Impressions Gallery showcases truly remarkable photography taken by those with a passion for that particular pursuit.

Bradford does not forget its past, which is why the section of the city that previously served as home to German merchants back in the 1850s has been transformed into Little Germany. The area of Little Germany has buildings that went up around the same time when the area was populated by German merchants.

There are plenty of outdoor attractions and activities like Baildon Moor, a short drive from the city.

Bradford Demographics

As of June 22 of last year, population figures provided by the Office for National Statistics indicate that more than 534,000 people are currently residing in Bradford.

Bradford also has one of the younger populations in the United Kingdom. More than 30 percent of the people living in Bradford are still under the age of 20 and seven in 10 of the city’s residents are younger than 50.

Diversity is also a strong point for Bradford.

People of Pakistani ethnic origin make up around 20 percent of the population. Overall, ethnic minorities account for 36 percent of the population, with the remaining 64 percent identifying as White British.

Bradford’s workforce is made up of nearly 220,000 people ranging in age from 16 to 64. 24.5 percent of 16 to 74-year-olds in the city are educated to degree level.

Property Sales in Bradford BD1

The average price people paid to purchase a house in the city is £134,651. The current average value of a house in the city is £131,751.

Average price flats sold for in Bradford over the past 12 months is £106,986. For the same time-frame, the average price terraced houses sold for is £97,854.

To help you find a house that fits your family and falls within your price range, you can contact the estate agents from Priestley who are currently based in Bradford. They have listings you can check out yourself.

Property Rental in Bradford

It is perfectly fine if you decide that you are not ready to commit full-time just yet to living in the city of Bradford long-term. If your plan is to find a place to rent for a while and just go from there, you are still in luck because there are numerous properties that are available for that purpose in the city.

People relocating to the city to continue their education at University, relocating for work wont have a problem finding a student let, shared house or one to yourself. One and two-bedroom apartments are now easier to find within Bradford’s city centre and the Priestley’s lettings agents in Bradford will be able to assist in finding a property that fits comfortably within your price range.

Property to rent in Bradford include luxury studio apartments, houses, and shared houses. These properties are also located throughout Bradford, and there are even options located within the busy city centre, which is quite convenient.

Recent Rentals

Property Address

No Bedrooms / Type

Rental

Appleton Point, 1 Hamm Strasse, Bradford

Studio Flat

£350 pcm

Hanover House, BD1

1 Bed Apartment

£475 pcm

Grattan Road, Bradford

1 Bed Flat

£450 pcm

East Parade, Bradford, BD1 5HE

2 Bed Apartment

£500 pcm

Little Germany, Bradford, BD1

2 Bed Apartment

£650 pcm

Colonial Buildings, Bradford

1 Bed Flat

£460 pcm

Airedale House, Bradford

2 Bed Flat

£495 pcm

Leeds Rd, Bradford

1 Bed Flat

£490 pcm

City Centre, Bradford BD1

2 Bed Flat

£450 pcm

The city of Bradford truly is a remarkable place, and once you pay a visit there, it is difficult to come up with reasons to leave. Thanks to the abundance of available properties to purchase and to rent in the area, those who have fallen in love with the city of Bradford will find that moving there should prove to be a relatively easy process.